The UAE Ministry of Interior has reiterated school bus safety guidelines as part of its four-month “Safe Roads for Our Students” campaign.
School bus supervisors in the UAE have been urged to inspect vehicles after every journey to ensure no child is left behind. Schools should also notify parents if a student is absent or fails to board the bus, according to safety guidelines issued by the Ministry of Interior.
The guidance is part of the ministry’s four-month “Safe Roads for Our Students” campaign, launched through the Federal Traffic Council in September. The initiative aims to improve school transport safety and promote responsible practices among students, parents, drivers and supervisors.
Checks after every journey
The ministry has advised school bus supervisors to help children board and leave the bus safely, monitor their behaviour during journeys and record absences for reporting to school administrators.
Supervisors must also check the entire bus at the end of every trip to ensure no student remains inside.
School administrations have been urged to establish safe boarding and drop-off areas, monitor students and transport staff, and inform parents of any concerns relating to their child’s safety.
Schools should also contact families if a student is absent or does not board the bus as expected.
Parents urged to stay reachable
Parents should accompany children to designated bus waiting areas and ensure that an authorised person is available to receive them when they return.
Families are also encouraged to maintain regular communication with schools and bus supervisors and remain reachable by phone in case of any concerns during the journey.
Students, meanwhile, should reach their bus waiting point five minutes before the scheduled arrival time, remain calm while travelling and avoid distracting the driver.
After getting off the bus, children should move at least 10 steps away from the vehicle to reduce the risk of accidents while it is moving.
Daily inspections and seat belts
School bus drivers should inspect their vehicles daily to ensure they are roadworthy and stop only at safe locations when picking up or dropping off students.
Drivers must not move the bus until all children have safely boarded or disembarked. Students should remain seated and wear seat belts throughout the journey.
The guidelines also require drivers to activate the bus’s stop sign whenever the vehicle stops to allow children to board or get off.
Fines for ignoring school bus stop signs
Motorists must come to a complete stop in both directions when a school bus extends its stop arm to allow children to board or disembark.
Failure to comply carries a Dh1,000 fine and 10 traffic points. School bus drivers who fail to activate the stop sign face a Dh500 fine and six traffic points, according to the published guidance.
